Q&A with Shiyao Fu
Shiyao Fu is completing her MFA in Visual Art in 2026 and showing work in the cohort’s thesis exhibition, “Apparition.” In this Q&A, she shares insight into her thesis project, how she began to understand herself as an artist, and more.
Briefly describe your thesis project. What themes are you exploring, and in what mediums/with what materials?
My thesis project is an installation using wood and metal to construct a network system. Through my process, I make materials appear simultaneously organic and synthetic. I assemble wood blocks with various angles into an undulating form. The metal parts have a sense of liquidity in their form and texture. The two materials intertwine together to form a complex relationship, indicating the interconnections between languages as a network that crosses and overruns established geographic and national boundaries.
What do you hope someone feels when they experience your work?
From the undulating form and liquidity, I hope the audience perceives an indication of movement, flow, and transformation.
When or how did you know you were an artist?
I struggle with verbal expression and am sensitive to miscommunication, so when the first person walked up and told me how they felt through my artwork, that is when I knew I am an artist who can communicate through my work.
Did you always know this would be your final project? When or how did you figure it out?
For the thesis project, I always knew the feeling that I was chasing, but I had to figure out the structure through negotiating with my materials.
What’s something you’ll miss about WashU and the Sam Fox School?
I will miss my cohort, with whom I have been constantly sharing ideas, exchanging perspectives, and cheering for progress in the studio.